Sorbothane and Compressive Stress

Compressive stress relates to the way that motion may compact a material, especially materials that have two surfaces making contact with one another. A prime example of this type of stress is the insoles of your shoes. When you run or exercise, the pounding of your feet inside of your shoes will compact all of the material that is in there. Eventually, it will stop giving you the cushiony response that you expected and wanted when you bought these shoes. The more that you run or the more that you weigh, the faster this will happen.

In some situations, you add additional materials to increase the compressive strength which is related to compressive stress. Compressive strength is the upper most limit of a material in response to compressive stress before it fails. Certain types of material just have a higher compressive strength than others do by their very nature while others can be made more stress tolerant by blending them with another, more stable type of material. That is one of the many uses of Sorbothane, it can be coupled with another material to make it that much stronger and more resistant to compression.

The perfect example of this is the Sorbothane shoe insoles. As discussed, shoes are made of several layers of materials, each meant to protect your foot from the ground you are running on as well as reducing the amount of shock that you feel when your foot strikes the ground. The mechanics of running is important to understand so that you know how to reduce some of the pain you may feel, especially when you are running long distances over uncertain types of material or you are working to increase your speed at any point. The more effort that you are putting into your run, the more pounding you will do to your shoes. The average person will need a new pair of shoes in as little as three months to as long as six months depending on how often they are getting out on the road and the other factors.

Sorbothane shoe insoles are thin enough to fit comfortable in the shoe without adding extra bulk but still will allow the shoes compression strength to be much higher. Compressive stress can leave your shoe so flat that they are not only uncomfortable but are actually increasing your risk for run related injuries. As soon as one spot becomes thinner, we may instinctively roll our foot to the other side, which means that we can run without proper foot strike or alignment. Those are the perfect mechanisms for serious injuries which can include a dislocated knee joint, tightness in the hips and lower back pain.

The insoles absorb the shock from the pavement or other surfaces and dispel it before it reaches the feet and legs. You will notice the difference, not only in the way that your feet and legs feel but in the amount of energy that you still have at the end of the run.

Want to learn more about Sorbothane’s solutions? Contact us today to learn more.